Underfeed-stoker



w. E. DE voE.

UNDERFEED STOIKER.

APPLICATION FILIEIJv IUNE9. 1919.

1,385,433. Patented July 26,1921.

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IIIIII' W. E. DE VOE.

UNDERFEED STOKER.

APPLICATION FILED IuNEs, 1919.

mi 3N I W. E. DE VOE.

' UNDERFEED STOKER.

APPLlcAloN HLED JUNE 9, 1919.

1 ,385,433, vPatented July 26, 1921.

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@MCM W www UNITED STATESy PATE-Nr oi-Flca wrLLIAM EVANS DE von, oFcHrcAGo HEGHTS, rLiiNois, AssIeNoR To THE UNDER-FEED STOKEB COMPANY OF lCORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AINIEIIIIGIL,Y OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A

r'iiwniiiiriaznD-s'roinin.l

To all whom 1f/may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILLIAM EVANS DE i Von, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago Heights', in the county of Cookand State ofIllinois, have invented.

certain new and useful Improvements in Underfeed-Stokers, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to under-feed stokers and more particularly toram-driving means for such stokers, and it consists in the features ofconstruction, combination, andar- ,rangement of parts, hereinafterpointed out and claimed. l'

,Ram-operation plays an important part in the functioning of theunder-'feed Stokerinthe matter of clinkerage,.,a`mong others. A slowlyreciprocated ram, constantly reciprocating, tends4 to force the clean`fuel into i the retort without breaking up thef clinkers which form atthe retort mouth; whereas (other conditions being equal) animp-ulsively" reciprocated ram, that is, one making its in 4and outstrokes rapidly .but

dwelling between strokes, is very eiicaciousA4 in clinker-breaking and,therefore, in keepinga clean` bright fire needing minimum supervision,

` Also, the frequency of ramreciprocationi` is important, in that it isafactor which of the rains in unison, slowly 'and constantly.

Also. it has been knownV practiceto operate each ram independently,equipping it with a steam engine or other motorrindividual to the ramand controlled by` an" individual valve mechanism, so that each ram canbe operated` through a rapid stroke-cycle' and then dwell for apre-determined period, the periodicity of operation of each -ra'm beingcontrolled independently of-that of its bat-k tery-fellows. Thissort ofinstallation, however, requires quite complex and expensive equipmentand in many 'instances'is undesirablefor engineering reasons.

To the best of my knowledge, it i's novel with me to provide a singlehighspeed line shaft and connect the several 'rains of a furquantitiesfed to the retort in a given Specification of Letters Patent. Patented,July 26;, 192L Application led .Tune 9,

1919. serial Nm 302,734.

nace battery therewith by mechanical means each individual to itsrespective ram, each such mechanism operable from the constant speedline shaft for.rapid'reciprocation and intervening dwells of the ram,and each unit mechanism being settable to determine the frequency of there-ciprocation-cycle, or, conversely stated, the dwell duration.

In the mechanism herein shown, characterized as above outlined, I secureGreat advantage in many installations, dispensing with elaborations ofpiping, valves, and eIi-' gine equipment for each ram, enabling a singlepower source, such as an electric motor, to be used for driving all ofthe rams under best load conditions, and yet securing the substantialbenefits of clinker-breaking strokespeed andy of capacity-regulatingindividualization of/n the stroke vperiodicity 'of the rain,whichadvantageshave heretofore been realized onlygin the more expensiveinstallations above referred to. Also I secure many advantages intheparticular construction shown, 'in .certainty of operation, ruggedness,fine adjustment, simplicity,` and Amanufacturinov and operating economy.

In the drawings, i igure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a batteryof Stoker `units equipped with my devices Fig.- 2 is aside elevation ofone unit equipment; Fig. 3 is a plan view vof the same; Fig. .4 is asection lon `line 4--4 of Fig. ,3; Fig. 5 is a detailof a ratchet wheeland guard, Fig. 6 lis a detail of a modified ratchet'wheel and guardconstruction; Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view is actuated by acrankshaft 16 individual to that ram and lmounted on a frameextension13.

' Each crank shaft isI actuated from a com mon line shaft 17 runningalong the furnace tensions 13', and having for each battery unita pinion18 Whichineshes with a large front, suitably journaled in the lframe eXf gear 19 loose on theicrank shaft 16. A

single source of motive power, typified by the motor 20, may drivethel1ne shaft at relatively high speed, by a chain belt 21.

trolling device is provided, preferably operthe drivel wheel 19 o'f theunit.

The clutch means specifically shown' 1s ated from a constantly runningpart such as vsimple and rugged. @Fast on lthe normally idle crankshaft16 is a clutch carrier 23.

f peripherally grooved'as at 24. Through this carrier and across thegroove there passes a block 25, slidable transversely to the carrier,this clutch block when projected engaging, and when retracteddisengaging, a notch 26 in the hub portion 19 ofthe loose driving wheelN19, that wall of thenotch which faces forwardly in therotativedirection of the gear wheelbeing beveled as best shown in Figs. 4 and 7.A spring 27, positioned by a small bracket 27 on the carrier 23 pressesAthe clutch block toward wheel-en- "blade"33 out ofthe notch 28 of theclutchgagement.` Therclutch block 25 is grooved vas at 28 to the depthof the carrier-groove 24, one ofthe side walls of this groove beingangularly 'cut or beveled to wedge-formation with the low end of. thewedge facing forwardly or in the direction of wheel rotation. Movementof the clutch block is controlled bya clutch lever 30. This Vispivotedon a bracket 31,close toits mounting on the 'r frameextensionbase 13', vthe lever being spring 'elevated as by spring coil324 so' that its controlling blade 33 enters the hub.

groove 24. The controlling blade is beveled or wedge-shaped in .plan(Figf 7), with its thin end directed counter to the rotative directionof the driving, wheel, this wedge:

shaped blade sometimes coactingvwith the wedge side 2 9 of the clutchblock groove to force the clutch block against the tension of y vitsspring 27 to disengage said block from notch 26 in the normally loosedriving wheel 19. It' will be understood, however, thatl wvhen"'lever 30is depressed, throwing its block, the latter is springprssed inwardly sothat yits inner end will slip down the inclined side of notch 26'whensaid notch comes into register with'the clutch block end, therebylengaging the carrier 23 and wheel so' that wheel 19 ,will rotate. thecrank shaft until the clutch' block is` withdrawn from such engagement.If, however, before the connected carrier and wheel have completed arotation, the lever 30 is springraised to restore the blade 33 to itsnormal position in the peripheral groove of the carrier, the inclinedend of the blade will rc ceive the beveled wall 29 of the clutch blockas the latter comes to its initial position, and will retract the clutchblock out of engagement with the loose-wheel 19. Such is the operationof the device, automatic and adjustable governing means being provided4for intermittently depressing the lever 30.

yThe lever 30 has a cam lng or tooth 35, in the path ofV rotation of thestriker pin 36 carried by a ratchet wheel 37 mounted on bracket 31, thisratchet wheel being arranged to be driven counterclockwise by a pawlarm38,' normally up-lifted by a spring 39 to an upper position where it isstopped by a lug 4() (Fig. 4), the free end of such paw]- armibeinginterposed in the path of a striker roller 41 carried by thehub portionof the loose wheel 19. A spring paw] 42 on the arm engages the teeth ofthe ratchet. Manifestly a\suitable number of vibrations of the pawl-armwill effect the complete rotation of the ratchet wheel causing itsstriker pin 36 to depress the clutch lever 30 and allow it to spring.back again. It is important, however, as a matter ofrefinement, that thenumber of vibrations of the pawl-arm requisite for a complete rotationof the ratchet Wheel be variable,and that assurance be had that theratchet wheel will never dwell with its striker pin 36 depressing thelever arm 30. `To-these ends I prefer to use the constructionshown indetail in Figs. 2 and 5. On the' arbor of the ratchet wheel I mount ashield 45, of double segment form. extending radially beyond the heightof the lower teeth constituting most of the periphery of theratchet-wheel. The pawl 42 is broad enough to rideon the edge of theshield, which is so shaped as to give a curved groove or channel 46 forpassage of the striker pin 36. The shield arc is preferablysubstantially equal to the full strokearc of the pawl-arm, and byadjusting so that, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, only some lowerterminal portion of the travel of the pawl arm will carry the pawl oli'.of the shield, one may regulate nicely the number of vibrations of thepawl-arm necessary to eect thev rotation of the ratchet wheel.

Preferably this adjustment is maintained by a latch member 47 engagingteeth on the rear segment of the shield. The shield may, however, bemadeasshown Iin Fig. 6, with its adjustment determined by a thumbsnut 47locking it on the arbor.

Preferably a small number ofthe teeth, as indicated at 48 in Fig, 5, aremade of such height that their crests may extend beyond the-'edge of theshield, these teeth being positioned relatively to the striker pin 36 sothat one of them is bound to bewithin the vibratory sweep of the pawl 42immediately .before the striker pin comes into position to engage theclutch lever cam 35. Of course,

when any one ofithese teeth comes within the sweep of the pawl theratchet wheel will.

be carried forward a full stroke of the pawlarm, regardless of thepositiony or adjustment of the shield 4:5, so that by no possibility canthe' governor Wheel' 37 fail to depress and release the clutch lever 30;the mechanical correlation illustrated assuring that the clutch leverwill be released at a proper time to permit the clutch bar to en-1 gagethe notch 26 in the-loose wheel. Y. /In a mechanism" as described,especially one wherein the ram-stroke is relatively rapid, it fis highlydesirable that there be, provided a frangible element intendedto breakshould i the ram-plunger become jammed, as may sometimes occur fromsticks` of wood or other over-large bodies getting T lengthwise into theshaft holds the pin 50 l 1. into the c oal hopper.

I take care of this condition by connecting the 4clutch-element orcarrier 23 with shaft 16 through a renewable' breakpin `50. This ismerely a cast-iron bar. extending through a hole in the shaft 16 andengaging slotted cleats 51 on the clutch-member 23. A set screw 52extending against displacement.

In brief rsum', the line shaft is con- -stantly rotated at relativelyhigh speed constantly'driving ,the loose gears19 for the several rams,of course at lower speed, butstill with avelocity suicient to insure a fquick land ,impulsive reciproeation of the ram or plunger. 'Each freelyrotating drivingwheel 19vadvances thelappurtenant governor wheel 37 moreor less each timey it revolves, so 'that after a predetermined'number ofrevolutions of the driving wheel19,l

Asettable individually with respect td each unit, lthe affectedcontroller Wheel `37 will .the clutch lever 3() is restored to itselevated position, where its beveled blade 33 inter-y` l' cepts theclutch block`25, retractin the latter ltofclutch-disengaging position.

ram-plunger bejammed, the'renewable pin 0`}breaks,v preventing injurylto the gearing -or other parts. f

njwiu 'be understood thaawhile I have herein described indetail aparticular embodiment of my invention, for purposes of full disclosure,and some detail features of which I may specifically claim for especialadvantage, many changes may be made in the particular construction andarrangel ment of parts without departure from the spirit of my inventionin ,its broader aspects,

- within the scope of the appended claims.

` What I claimis': i

hould the ram, a constantly running, relatively high speed driving.member, connectible`` with f said crank shafts, a line -shaft havingcon` nection to drive `all of said drivingwheels rapidly,.whereby theline shaft and driving wheels are in constant rotation, and means forintermittently connectlng each crank shaft to its drive Wheel to governthe frequenef of quick reciprocations of the rams. 3. he 1combinationwith an underfeed stoker battery comprising a plurality ofretortefeeding rams each 'having a crank shaft,

of driving wheels loose on said crank shafts,

a line shaft having connection to drive all y.

of said driving wheels, whereby the line shaft. and driving wheels arein constant rotation, and means for intermittently connecting each crankshaft to its drive wheel at predetermined and `variable intervals.

4. The combination with a battery of underfeed stokers each having a ramand a crank shaft, of driving gearsloosev on said crank shafts, a Ilineshaft,mea`ns on said line shaft for` driving said Gears, meansindividual `to each Stoker fhr connecting the gearto its crank/shaft atintervals, and means controlled by the rotation of the loose geargoverning the periodicity of such cone l nection.

7 5. In an underfeed furnace, the combination with the ram and its crankshaft, of a constantly rotating part normally disconnested from theycrank shaft, means for ef- 'i fecting operative connection Vbetween saidconstantly rotating part and said crank shaft, and governing meanscontrolled by the constantly rotating part for intermittently operatingsaid connecting means.

6. Rami operating. means for underfeed stokers comprising, incombination with the ram and its crank shaft, a constantly rotavtablemember, a .clutch for connecting said rotatable member with said crankshaft,

and clutch controlling means comprising a part adjustable to' causeclutch engagement after a predetermined number of rotations of theconstantly rotating means.

7. Ram driving means for underfeed stokers comprising, in combinationwith the reciprocable ram and its crank shaft, a gear wheel loose on thecrankshaft, constantly rotatable means fory driving said gear wheel,clutch. Vmeans for engaging said gear wheel with its crank shaft, aclutch-controlling le- A L ver, and a governorwheel controlling. said 1.In comblnation, a reciprocable Stoker lao.

moved by one` of the constantly rotating parts. n y i 8'; `Ram drivingmeans for underfeed stok ers comprising, in combination with thereciprocable rain and its crank Shaft, a gear wheel' loose on lthecrankshaft, constantly rotatable means for driving said gear whee'clutch means for lengaging said gear wheel with its crank shaft, aclutch-controlling lever, a governor wheel controlling said lever by itsrotary movement, and rotarily moved by o-ne of the constantly rotatingparts, and for adjusting the extent of movement of said governor "wheelengaged by each rotation of 'said parts.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, the combination withtheram crank f shaft,a constantly rotatable part for intermittentconnection therewith, a clutch for effect-v ing such connection, and aclutch'lever controlling said clutch, of a governor wheel cony trollingsaid clutch lever and comprising a ratchet toothed member having lowerteeth and higher teeth, a shield to extend radially beyond the lowerteeth but not the higher ram to reciprocate the latter with a quickstroke, and means controlled by said drivn ing member for effectingconnection between the ram and driving member to impart a single stroketo the ram at predetermined intervals.

11. The combination with a battery of underfeed stokers each having aram and a crank shaftlof a constantly-driven line shaft for driving saidcrank shafts, means associated with each crank-shaft for connecting it.With the line shaft to receive a single rotation therefrom, and meansassociated with each crank shaft and driven fromthe line shaft foroperating said connectingv means `at variable predetermined intervals.

wiLLrAM EVANS DE von.

